Chevy/gmc trucks......oil cooler

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So I was ripping the front end off my 99 last weekend and to my surprise I found an oil cooler.
So I got to looking at my C3 and voila,oil cooler.


My 99 has a 5.3,the c3 is an 01 with a 6.0.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. These trucks came standard with an oil cooler,which makes me reconsider using a 30 or 40 grade. I think they'd be fine with a 20 grade if oil temps remained low,but that's my humble opinion.
 
Ripped my oil cooler off my 94, leaky piece of junk. lol. I now screw the oil filter right to the block the oil pressure is really nice now to.
 
Not the garden variety trucks, ones that have the 28" or 34" radiator without the EOC fittings or the V6's.

I've been wanting to complete my conversion (HD radiator installed, bought the oil cooler lines) but the hard lines won't clear the electric fans. Decided to abandon the project since my driving habits and distance probably won't get the oil real hot to need a cooler.

edit: I re-read your post about you ripping the front end and finding an oil cooler...you are probably looking at the P/S or ATF cooler. Oil coolers on 6.0L+ trucks are oil to water cooled so the heat exchanger is the the radiator.
 
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Clevy, was it an air/oil type? Unless it had a thermostatic control, I would think that would not be too great for the Canadian winters.

I just added a water/oil heat exchanger to my Jeep Cherokee. It sandwiches between the oil filter and filter mount. I'm using it more as an oil heater for around town, vs. an oil cooler. I'm very happy with the results so far(oil pressure drops to hot idle pressure a lot faster.
 
The oil cooler isn't standard. A lot of trucks don't have it, but it can be added. Many just have a plate that blocks off where the lines would come out near the oil filter.
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy
So I was ripping the front end off my 99 last weekend and to my surprise I found an oil cooler.
So I got to looking at my C3 and voila,oil cooler.


My 99 has a 5.3,the c3 is an 01 with a 6.0.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. These trucks came standard with an oil cooler,which makes me reconsider using a 30 or 40 grade. I think they'd be fine with a 20 grade if oil temps remained low,but that's my humble opinion.


Be cautious, most of them may have a trans fluid cooler in front of the radiator, but few 5.3's have one at all. Most GM trucks we own have an oil cooler that is integral to the radiator and heats oil in the winter/cools it in the summer.

Consistent oil temps may be why we get superlative engine life from our V8 powered fleet trucks...
 
Yes, the engine oil cooler (from the factory anyway), is inside of the radiator in the passenger side tank. Oddly enough, GM lets you buy it separate from the radiator, and they sell a gasket kit for the radiator tanks as well. I have no idea why, but they are available that way.

This is the available auxiliary ATF cooler kit...
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results.cfm?partnumber=12497071

The optional power steering cooler is sort of a tall, skinny type of cooler...
http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-GM-15295843-Steering-Cooler/dp/B00F66TFH2
 
Originally Posted By: wirelessF
Not the garden variety trucks, ones that have the 28" or 34" radiator without the EOC fittings or the V6's.

I've been wanting to complete my conversion (HD radiator installed, bought the oil cooler lines) but the hard lines won't clear the electric fans. Decided to abandon the project since my driving habits and distance probably won't get the oil real hot to need a cooler.

edit: I re-read your post about you ripping the front end and finding an oil cooler...you are probably looking at the P/S or ATF cooler. Oil coolers on 6.0L+ trucks are oil to water cooled so the heat exchanger is the the radiator.



Min
The 5.3 has a small cooler on the front of the most forward radiator. It's got 2,full sized radiators then a small one roughly centered in the front one.
The c3,has the identical set up.
K. So if the oil cooler is water to air that small cooler on the front has to be something else.
I didn't get as far as to tracing the lines back to where they begin. It's quite possible that small one is power steering,I figure the 2 large ones were coolant and the tranny fluid but again I didn't trace the lines back.


Good points Steve. Your likely on the money with that post.

As far as cold we get as low as -40 here in the winter. -25c is the common high temps,which might be 20 grade territory however I've always gone thicker,never thinner.
Funny thing. When I changed the oil from redline 5w-40 to Amsoil 5w-30 cold oil pressure was unaffected,and hot oil pressure was only slightly lower.
K. When I get a good look at the fluid lines and trade them back I'll update what I see.
Thanks for the input gents.
Oh. Both trucks have the tow package which likely explains a lot of what I'm seeing.
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy

The 5.3 has a small cooler on the front of the most forward radiator. It's got 2,full sized radiators then a small one roughly centered in the front one.

Oh. Both trucks have the tow package which likely explains a lot of what I'm seeing.


I think you're describing the trans cooler that comes with the tow package. Is it mounted to the A shaped frame behind the grille? Behind it is the A/C condenser, and then the radiator. The power steering cooler would be a vertically-mounted, one-loop cooler on the driver's side, about as tall as the radiator.

I don't know what it would have taken to get an engine oil cooler. The "build your own" list on Chevy's website said one was included in 2001, but my truck came without. It is a 2WD. Maybe 4X4s have them?
 
Both of my 98 Chevy trucks have oil coolers and separate transmission coolers and I have replaced the oil cooler lines on both of them. My K3500 also has the power steering cooler.

Wayne
 
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